Chemical heater



L; EI. -ECKELMANYN AND 'G'. E. FERGUSON.

CHEMICAL HEATER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.24, 1917.

Patented July 19, 1921.

//V TORS 1 r I I H 7' TOR'NE Y UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

LUIS E. ECKELMANN AND GEORGE E. FERGUSON, 0F YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO PYRENE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

CHEMICAL HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 19, 1921.

Application filed August as, 1917. Serial No. 187:,939.

Chemical Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to "a chemical heater, having more particular reference to certain mechanical features of construction whereby use of the generator is facilitated.

The invention is especially adapted for application to a heater in which a liquid solution of salts containing water of crystallization is scaled up in a suitable container to prevent theinception of crystallization until desired.

The present invention has for an object to produce a container for the salt solution which carries the means. for rupturing the seal and inducingcrystallization, and which in addition, carries such means so disposed or arranged as to simplify to the utmost the v,

manual operation or manipulation necessary to start crystallization.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and-advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, the various novel features of the invention being more particularly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.

Figure Lof the drawingsis a sectional elevation of a chemical heater embodying the invention, this view being taken on theline 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

The heater may comprise a container 1, of any suitable construction, for the heating medium, and may be 'used for any desired purpose.

As here shown the invention is embodied in a heater adapted for use in the place of the well known hot water bottle, the container 1 being made of metal and of flatt med circular shape, with the opposite walls bowed outwardly as shown at 2 and 3 so as to stiffen the walls to prevent" any buckling thereof during handling which might causev a disturbance of the salt solution and consequent starting of crystallization. A projecting, exteriorly screw-threaded, nipple 4 is formed on the container and constitutes-the mouth thereof.

The solution of crystallizable salts, such as four parts of sodium acetate with three molecules of water of crystallization and one part of sodium thiosulphate with five molecules of water of crystallization, is indicated at 5 and substantially fills the container. The seal is indicated at 6 above and in close contact with the salt solution. This seal may be of organic material which is solid at normal "temperatures and melts at a pointsubstantially the same as the melting point of the salts, a mixture of paraffin wax and lanolin being suitable. A hermetic seal is thus formed over the salt solution when the sealing material solidifies. When a solution of crystallizable salts is sealed up ina manner to prevent access of air thereto and impact of the particles thereof against one another; as is accomplished by sealing as above set forth, the container may be subjected to any jolting, jarring or handling without crystallization starting as long as the seal remains intact.

Screwed upon the nipple 4 is a cap 10 which may be provided with a hinged handle 11 which permits of suspension of the heater and also facilitates screwing and unscrewing of the cap. Secured at one end to .the cap and extending centrally through the latter and into the container is a rod 12 which may have a pointed end 13. This rod is of suflicient length to extend through the seal 6 when the cap 10 is in place, as shown in Fig. 1.

Mounted upon this rod within the cap 10 is a plug 15 which may be made of cork and slightly tapered as shown. This plug 15 is of a diameter to fit snugly in the nipple 4,

the interior of which is correspondinglpl ta I pered, and thus tightly close the mout the container.

' The plug may be secured upon the rod by any desirable means, the means we have provided constituting a pair of nuts 16 and 17 threaded upon the rod 12 above and below the plug. With the plug secured on the rod in this manner. it may be adjusted longitudinally to efi'ect'a proper fit in the nipple '4 when the cap 10 is screwed downion the latter.

The heater is first prepare d for use by placing the salts and sealing material there- 1n and heating, as by immersing in hot water, to melt the salts and sealing material, with the cap 10 in place. The salts and sealing material may be placed in the container while solid, or they may be first melted separately and then poured into the container, the smaller specific gravity of the sealing material causing it to rest upon the salt solution. Enough sealin materlal will be used to form a seal of su cient stren 11 to support the weight of the salt solution when the container is in inverted position.

The heater may then be suspended by the ringtll, or otherwise retained in an u right position, until the sealing material so ldifies and forms a seal eflectually preventing the inception of crystallization. As will be obvious the seal solidifies with the rod 12 ex-,

tending therethrough and when it is desired to generate heat by crystallization of the salt solution it is only necessary to unscrewthe cap 10, thus withdrawing the'rod 12 from the seal and leaving an o ening through the latter as shown at 18 in ig. 2, and in consequeilce efl'ecting a rupture 'of the seal. The resultant disturbance of the salt solution, or admission of air thereto, or both, causes crystallization to start.

The heater is again prepared for use by heating, as above set forth, with the cap 10 in place. The plug 15 acts to prevent the escape of any water vapor that may be formed during heating, thus reventing any lessenin of the efliciency of the heater on repeate use due to the amount of water contained therein becoming insufficient to dissolve all the salts.

'What we claim is:

1. A chemical heater comprising a container, a crystallizable salt solution and a sealing material adapted to be melted when heated in said container, the sealing .material being of less specific gravity than that of the salt solution and adapted to solidify upon cooling and to form a seal preventing crystallization while said seal remains intact, and a device normally extending through said seal and into said salt solution and adaptedupon withdrawal to rupture said seal and cause the salt solution to crystallize.

2. A chemical heater comprising acontainer, a crystallizable salt solution and a sealing material adapted to be melted when heated in said container, the sealing material being of less specific gravity than that of the salt solution and adapted to solidify upon cooling and to form a seal preventing crystallization while said seal remains intact, a cap for closing the mouth of said container, and a device carried by said cap and extending through said seal and into said salt solution when the cap is in. place, said device. being adapted to be withdrawn from the said seal by removal of the cap, rupturing the seal; and causing the salt solution to crystallize.

3. A chemical heater comprising a container, a erystallizable salt solution and a sealin material adapted to be melted when heater? in said container, the sealing material being of less specific ravity than that of the salt solution and a apted to solidify upon cooling and to form a seal preventing crystallization while said seal remains intact, a cap and a plug attached thereto for closing the mouth of said container, and a device carried, by said cap and extending through said seal and into said salt solution when the cap is in place, said device being adapted to be withdrawn from the said seal by removal of the cap, rupturing the seal and causing the salt solution to crystallize.

4. A chemical heater comprising, a container adapted to hold both a heating dium and a seal of organicmaterial therefor, a cap covering the mouth of said container, a rod carried by said cap and projectin into said container and adapted to ex'ten through the said seal when the latter is'in position, a plug secured upon said rod and projecting into and tightly closing the mout of the container, and means for adjusting said plug longitudinally upon saidrod.

Luis 'EGKELMANN. GEORGE E. FERGUSON. 

